What goes great with tea?

BISCOTTI!

I am recently obsessed with making and eating biscotti. I made dozens to give away for holiday gifts with my tea. (And kept a dozen or so to eat.) Biscotti is really great for holidays and any major event because its something you can make days or even a week in advance, store it, and still have a great tasting bake good!

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti

Yields: approx 20

You will need:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup white sugar

6 tablespoons butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg, beaten

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the 2/3 cup sugar and butter. Beat in 2 eggs and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients.
3. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into two pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 9 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Place logs on the prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly. Brush with the beaten egg.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden and firm to the touch. Cool for 15 minutes.
5. On a cutting board, slice each log into 1/2 inch slices, using a serrated knife. Place back on the baking sheet, cut side down, and sprinkle with a mixture of the remaining cinnamon and sugar. Return to the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until toasted. Cool on wire racks, and store in an airtight container.

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com

Easy Holiday Gift Idea: DIY Tea Bags

Here's a simple idea for everyone on your list: Package your own tea bags.


If you have lots of time on your hands, do what I did and make the entire thing from scratch from tea to bags to packages. You will need loose tea, which you can get at most stores, and press and seal tea bags, you can find them online or at a craft store. Put 1.5-2 TSP of loose tea in the tea bags and iron the bags shut.

If you have less time, you can repackage tea bags to add a personal touch.

You will need:

• glue sticks
• construction paper
• markers
• tea bags
• scissors

Steps:

1. Take a piece of construction paper and fold it in half length-wise and then again width-wise.
2. Cut along the folds to make four even rectangles.
3. Fold the edges of each rectangle approximately 1/2 inch in.
4. Fold the paper in half so that there is 1/2 inch at the top for a fold over tab.
5. Apply glue inbetween the fold to create an envelope for the tea bag.
6. If you want to, cut the excess paper from the inside of the envelope fold.
7. Draw a design on the front of the envelope or write the name of the tea you will be putting inside.
8. Place the tea bag inside the envelope.
9. Glue the edges of the inside of the tab and fold it over to seal the tea bag inside.

Coffee Cake Muffins

Since Tuesday, I have easily made over 200 of these. I've been making mini muffins for holiday parties and brunches and full sized muffins for myself for breakfast. These are hands down my favorite muffin of all times.

You will need:

• 1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. shortening
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 egg, beaten

Topping:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, walnuts, 2 tablespoons of flour, butter, and cinnamon; stir well, and set aside.

Muffins:

In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Beat egg, stir in milk to combine. Stir milk and egg mixture into the dry mixture in the medium bowl. Mix quickly, about 30 seconds, until combined.

Turn mixture into a greased or paper-lined muffin pan, filling cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle topping evenly over the top of muffins.

Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Nothing better than chocolate chip cookies

I have been on a severe baking kick lately. I am going to attribute this to cold weather and the holidays. So I made these chocolate chip cookies the other day using the original tollhouse recipe. The secret to getting them to look like mine: when putting the dough on the baking sheet, measure it out one table spoon and roll it into a ball.

Happy baking!


You will need:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.* Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

* May be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in freezer for up to 8 weeks.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

From: Nestle